This is part 3 in my series on addressing nippy and mouthy behavior in puppies, adolescent dogs, or even adult dogs who have not yet learned that teeth on human skin (and the clothing that houses human skin) is not acceptable. In the first installment, I discussed the importance of teaching our dogs alternative behaviors in order to get what they want while redirecting them to more appropriate outlets for the nipping behavior. In the second installment, I discussed in more detail some possible alternative behaviors to replace the nipping.

In this third installment, I discuss appropriate play with dogs. Sometimes the ways in which we play with our dogs perpetuates the nipping behavior. I see many people who enjoy wrestling with their puppies. Certainly, it can be fun. However, dogs tend to mirror the play of their partner, so if you are using your hands, most likely your puppy is mirroring your behavior the best he can – by using his mouth.

Another fun game is chase. While it can be fun, it can also present some problems. If I have a dog who loves to be chased, he might learn to steal objects he shouldn’t have because he learns you will chase him. If, on the other hand, your puppy likes to chase you, he might get overexcited and nip at ankles or hands while pursuing you. This is especially true of herding breeds whose natural instincts are to nip at heels of livestock to get them to move in the direction they want.

So what are more appropriate ways to play? Chase can be fun, but ensure it is happening in the right circumstances. ONLY chase your dog if he has an appropriate toy, never with an inappropriate item. If your dog prefers to chase you, make sure you have a long toy you can dangle behind you so if he feels the need to grab something, he is directed toward the toy and not you.

Many people have been told they should never play tug because it can cause aggression – simply NOT TRUE! You do need to set some ground rules for playing tug. Tug is only played with approved tug toys. The best tug toys are long toys that give you enough room to grab one end and your dog to grab the other without your dog grabbing you. One of your rules should be: if your dog touches your skin with his teeth, the game ends. You might establish the rule that you always initiate or that your dog have an appropriate way to initiate rather than just grabbing something and tugging. Another rule should be that when you say “drop it” your dog spits out the toy immediately. This game is a great way to build a solid “drop it” with your dog. An additional rule that I have is that once I have said “drop it”, my dog can only touch the toy again once I give him the “get it” cue. Some people say you should always “win” and end the game. Not true. Let your dog win some of the time, maybe even most of the time. Dogs will not want to play if they always lose. (Just ask my husband why he will never play Scrabble with me.)

Another good way to play is teaching fetch. For some dogs it comes naturally, not so much for others. Either way, it can be taught and can be a lot of fun if you make it fun.

What other fun and appropriate ways do you play with your dog?

I have a small group that I meet up with once a week to walk and socialize our dogs. This is also a social time for us, so we talk about all sorts of things much of which is dog-related. This week we were talking about the Denver news anchor, Kyle Dyer, who was bitten by a dog on air last week which I discussed in my post last Friday.

Romeo loves to GIVE kisses yet can get stressed with someone getting in his face

Toward the end of our walk, a man approached one person with a German Shepherd. The man said he trained German Shepherds and Dobermans for five years and asked to greet her dog. She said yes. You would think that if this man had trained dogs for several years, he would know better than to do what he did. He came straight at the German Shepherd, grabbed the dog’s face and leaned over to kiss the dog. The owner was caught off guard; fortunately nothing bad happened.

So here is a perfect example of a potentially bad situation. This person gave the owner information that would lead her to believe he has some clue about how to properly approach an unknown dog. Clearly, he did not. What should the owner have done? What would YOU have done?

I would take the lesson learned here and guide people to approach properly. To his credit, the guy did ask to greet the dog. However, instead of simply saying “yes” to the guy, she would have been better off saying something like this: “Yes, you may say hello, but please approach and pet from the side. He can get uncomfortable with people getting too close in his face or leaning over his head.” I want to let people know if it is OK to pet my dog, but I also want to help them understand the best way to do so. This is true in all cases, but especially so if you know certain things that will stress your dog. Even if your dog loves everyone and you think he would never bite, keep in mind that the next dog might not be that way. Let’s take the lead and help people understand how to approach ANY unknown dog.

We, as primates, enjoy showing our affection for others through hugs and kisses. Unfortunately, most canines do not share that same desire. Earlier this week, I saw a few photos posted on Facebook of dog kissing booths for Valentine’s Day. Some organizations use a doggie kissing booth as a fundraiser at events. While I’m sure they select very friendly dogs to participate in these events, this is another case of presenting the wrong idea to the public. We send the message that dogs love us leaning into their faces and kissing them. While some dogs do like this, we should not be perpetuating the myth that ALL dogs enjoy this. We should teach people to NEVER lean in to kiss a dog you do not know.

So, the next time you are out with your dog and someone wants to pet your dog, help them understand the proper way to do so.  As I have said many times, the vast majority of bites are entirely preventable if we take a few precautions and listen to our dogs!

By now, you have most likely heard about Max the Argentine Mastiff who was rescued from a pond earlier this week. It was a feel-good story about a firefighter rescuing Max from drowning. The following morning, Max and his owner were on the Denver Channel 9 morning news along with the firefighter. Kyle Dyer was interviewing them, and Max was there as well. Kyle, being an animal lover, bent down to get near Max and leaned in to give him a kiss. Unfortunately, Max bit Kyle on the lip, requiring Kyle to need reconstructive surgery.

Was this the case of an aggressive or “vicious” dog as some sites have reported? I believe the video has now been pulled from the internet, but many people either saw the live interview or saw video footage online after the fact. If you were able to see it, you hopefully were able to recognize the signs of stress in this dog. Lip licking, turning away, a lip curl, perhaps a growl, and tension in and around the eyes.  This bite was predictable and could easily have been prevented at many points along the way as this story unfolded.

Most often, we simply look at the moment just before and during the bite to try to figure out what went wrong. We often forget to look at all of the events leading up to this. This bite was not a result of just that moment in time, but of all the events within the past 24 or so hours. Think about this. The day before this interview, the dog was nearly drowned in icy water after he chased a coyote onto the ice. This dog spent about 20 minutes in freezing water before being rescued by a firefighter. Then there was a news crew at the dog’s home later that day. The next morning, the dog is brought into a studio for the live interview. Gee, do you think this dog was in a high state of stress by this point?

I don’t know the owner of Max, but my guess is he was probably nervous being in the studio and on live television as well. I’m sure Max picked up on his owner’s stress in addition to his own stress.  According to news stories, the owner and Max had been at the studio already for around 45 minutes by the time of the interview. Several people had already petted Max. Now, during the interview, this woman (Kyle Dyer) whom Max does NOT know, bends down and gets in his face. Max gives off several stress signals, but this stranger to him does not back away. In addition, the owner has a tight grip on the dog. When your “flight” option is removed, the only one you have left is “fight.” This dog was forced to remain in a very stressful situation. When Kyle leans in to kiss him, he does the only thing he can think of – defends himself and bites her on the lip. In an interview with Doug Kelley in regard to Max being held at the Denver Animal Shelter states that one of his concerns is that the dog bit someone in the face. Of course he bit her in the face – her face was right in his face!

So who is to blame here? It’s easy to say that this never would have happened if the owner had simply kept the dog on a leash in the first place. That’s true. Some have criticized the owner for not having a “100% solid recall” on his dog. Perhaps the dog was not well-trained enough to be off leash. I don’t know. Perhaps the dog is pretty reliable off leash, but the sight of a coyote running away at close proximity might have been too large of a distraction for him. I don’t know.

The owner could have declined the interview so soon after the traumatic event. The owner could have participated in the interview himself but left the dog at home. The owner could have recognized the stress in his dog and made sure the dog was not put into the position he was put into. I don’t want to vilify the owner. Did he make mistakes? Yes, several. Does that mean he’s a bad person? I doubt it. I think he got caught up in the events and spotlight and forgot to be the advocate for his own dog.

What are the lessons to be learned here? Keep your dog on leash until your dog is reliable off-leash and is in an appropriate and safe off-leash area. After your dog has suffered a traumatic event (nearly drowning certainly qualifies!) make sure you give him plenty of down time to recuperate and get stress levels back to normal. If your dog is in a strange place and receiving attention from lots of people he doesn’t now, watch for signs of stress. Find ways to reduce the stress or remove your dog from the situation if you can’t reduce the stress. Don’t allow people who do not know your dog to get in his face. Teach people the appropriate way to interact with your dog. Set your dog up for success and ALWAYS be an advocate for your dog. Your dog should trust you to look out for him and protect him. Don’t let him down. It’s not always the easy thing to do in a situation – especially when you’re on a live news show – but it’s the right thing to do.

More than one person was certain my most recent post on puppy nipping and mouthy adolescents was directed specifically at her or him. While it was for her/his benefit, it also was for the benefit of everyone else living with a nipping puppy or mouthy adolescent right now.

One of my points is that we ALL go through this with young dogs – some just have it worse than others. While not always the case, generally the worst ones are the nippy herding breeds for whom nipping at the ankles of livestock to move them is natural. Only it doesn’t feel so good when we are the ones being nipped in the ankles, and hands, and arms, and legs, and . . . The other breeds that tend to be difficult are the retrievers who are bred to carry things in their mouths and when they don’t already have something, they are looking for something to put in their mouths, like our ankles, our hands, our arms, our legs. . .

Bringing a toy is a good alternative to nipping to invite play

One thing I mentioned briefly in my last post was making sure you were teaching your puppy more appropriate ways to get your attention and invite you to play. How do you actually do that? The key is the same as reducing or eliminating any unwanted behavior. You teach your dog what to do INSTEAD of the current behavior. Even if you don’t care what your dog does as long as he’s NOT doing that certain behavior, you need to teach your dog what is an acceptable alternative. Ideally, this alternative should be incompatible with his current behavior.

Most nipping is play and attention-seeking behavior. Nipping is not an acceptable way to invite you to play, so what is acceptable to you? Your answer might be different from your neighbor’s and that’s fine, but your dog can’t read your mind. He doesn’t instinctively know what you consider “right” and “wrong” so you need to help him. Biting does not work, but perhaps sitting and making eye contact with you does. Or perhaps fetching a toy and bringing it to you will suffice as an invitation to play. Sitting is a good alternative because he can’t be leaping up and biting you if he’s sitting. He also can’t bite you if he already has a toy in his mouth. Sitting might be good if your puppy is calmer and wants some petting. If he’s wound up and really has energy to burn, sitting might not be so easy. Running and grabbing a toy might work better.

Decide on a couple of possible alternatives your puppy can do to politely invite you to play rather than “demand” it from you, which is what I consider nipping and biting to be – demanding. Biting is hard to ignore! If you don’t like the natural inclination of your puppy to solicit play, it’s your job to teach him an appropriate alternative. And then make sure you follow through and actually give him some attention and play with him when he does what you want him to do.

It takes time to change this behavior, so don’t expect instant success. Nipping, in most cases, should gradually lessen and eventually disappear over time not overnight.

Nipping and biting are easily the most common of the complaints I hear from those living with puppies. The nipping is bad enough, but with razor sharp teeth, it is even more painful. While the worst of it tends to occur when puppies are losing their baby teeth, for some adolescent dogs the nipping and mouthiness continue.

In some cases, the nipping will significantly subside once the teething stage is done and the adult teeth are in place. However, you can’t always count on the mouthy behavior to end on its own, especially if you live with a breed that tends to be mouthy.

Romeo at 4 months playing with someone who likes the nipping

Whether you have a puppy or an adolescent dog who is nipping and mouthing you, your objective is the same: to teach your dog the APPROPRIATE things to nip, chew and bite. You will be much more successful in stopping the nipping of human skin (or clothing) if you redirect the activity to an appropriate outlet. Too many people focus on stopping the behavior altogether which is largely unsuccessful. Redirecting their natural behaviors toward suitable outlets is always the better choice.

In most cases, puppies or dogs are wanting to play or wanting some form of attention. They are doing what comes naturally, and if it works, then there is no reason to do anything differently. Even if you are yelling “Ouch!”, saying “No bite!”, pushing your dog away, or doing anything else that involves talking to, looking at or touching your dog, guess what? You are giving him attention which is what he wants! Often the things we think are negative really are not. Scolding, yelling, pushing away, and other things are often seen as play invitations. We get fired up (because we’re upset) and we get our dogs more fired up because they are getting a reaction from us.

Stay calm – at least, as calm as you can when you are under siege from a four-legged creature packing razor blades in his mouth. Prevent him from biting you in the first place, or redirect as quickly as you can. Ensure your dog has plenty of appropriate options to bite. Make his toys more inviting. Rotate out toys every few days. Drag long toys around so when you are moving, he has a moving object to target other than you. Tie a toy to the end of a string and the other end of the string to a stick or pole that you can use to drag and toss the toy around while keeping your hands as far from the toy as possible.

While you are redirecting your dog toward biting at his toys, also make sure you are teaching him more appropriate ways to get your attention and invite you to play. Then be careful that your play style is not inviting more biting behavior. Keep your hands out of his face. Anything coming near his mouth should be fair game to grab – so make sure you have toys in your hand when playing.

Finding an appropriate playmate who enjoys the nipping – like another puppy with a similar play style – is also an excellent option.

There are lots of other things we can do to teach our dogs not to nip and bite at us, but providing acceptable alternatives is the first step.

In my Juvenile Delinquents Classes, I ask my students when they last taught their dogs something new. While it’s important to focus on getting reliable responses to the most important cues you use regularly (like sit, stay, come, etc.) with your dog, it is also important to keep teaching new things to both burn off energy and help him/her continue to stretch his/her brain power. Practicing the same things over and over gets tedious for both you and your dog. Adding in some variety can keep things fresh and fun for both of you!

Keeping things fun and learning new things is what my Fun & Games Class is all about. We explore different games, dog sports and other activities that give participants new ways to work with their dogs. Some incorporate basic skills in new formats and some focus on brand new skills. In our current class, we dedicated a session to teaching opposites. Some of these might be just for fun, while others can also have very practical purposes. In addition, many of these help dogs practice body awareness skills. Here are some of the opposites you could teach your dog:

Romeo practicing "in" and "out" with a basket

• In/Out (can be used for getting in and out of a box/crate/basket/bathtub/etc. or going into and out of a room)
• On(Up)/Off (can be used for getting on a chair, up into the back of the car, on the pause table in agility, etc.)
• Over/Under
• Spin/Twirl (spin in a tight circle one direction, twirl in a tight circle the other direction)
• Around clockwise/Around counterclockwise
• Forward/Backward
• Left/Right

How many other opposites can you think of?

If you are looking for a way to burn off some of your dog’s energy when it’s too cold or icy to get out for a long walk, pick one of these to try and have some indoor fun with your dog! If you need some help, sign up for a Fun & Games Class or call me for a private session.

For most of us, it’s hard to understand why dogs would eat things like rocks, socks or other non-food items. Yet many dogs do. The technical term is pica. For some, it can result in a hefty vet bill when something dangerous is ingested and needs to be surgically removed.

In evaluating the behavior, we look at what is being eaten and under what circumstances. If the dog is eating rocks or dirt, it is possible the dog is looking to fulfill a nutritional deficiency. A visit to your vet might be worthwhile as well as evaluating your food choices.

If your dog is eating non-food items, look at how the behavior developed and when it’s happening. For example, a dog might start out by finding and playing with or chewing socks, pillows, and anything else around home that looks fun. For some dogs, it is merely an attempt to explore their world – which dogs do primarily through their noses and their mouths. Looking to have some fun or alleviate boredom is a common issue. Some dogs express this through chewing. Some dogs will chew lots of things but not ingest. Others will ingest the items they chew.

In other cases, the dogs end up swallowing items in an attempt to maintain possession if people are constantly taking things away. The attempt to maintain control can display itself in a game of keep away or tug of war. In other dogs, resource guarding will develop and a dog might growl, snap or even bite. And for some dogs, they will swallow the item to prevent someone from taking it away.

One client has a dog who was swallowing socks. While it most likely started out as something fun to play with and chew, she began swallowing them in an effort to keep them from being taken away. The original behavior probably started due to a bit of boredom, but it turned into a resource guarding issue being expressed by swallowing the item.

Another client has a dog who is eating rocks. In our discussion, we determined the rock eating appears to be due primarily to boredom. The dog is looking for something to do, and most likely started out playing with the rocks, but now eats them. In this case, I think resource guarding also plays a part. This dog also has some food aggression issues, so resource guarding rocks is certainly a possibility.

In the case of both clients mentioned above, the approach is similar. First, prevention. Don’t allow the dogs to practice the unwanted (and dangerous) behavior while we’re working to change it.

Romeo practicing his "drop it" with a toy

Next, we work very hard on teaching a reliable “drop it” and “leave it”. Anytime I am working with a client on “drop it” or “leave it” I want to make sure we are making it fun and rewarding for the dog, but it is particularly important in these cases. If there is an element of possessiveness, we need to be careful about perpetuating this perception that we are always taking things away and never giving anything back. Providing worthwhile rewards in exchange for leaving or dropping the items they have is essential. Sounding like you are having fun and playing a game, not scolding or punishing the dog, is also necessary.

In addition, we work at replacing these behaviors with more constructive behaviors. If the dogs are getting enough physical exercise and mental stimulation in more constructive ways, they will begin to forget about eating non-food items. Some of these issues are easily resolved, while others will take quite a bit of work. But working to resolve these issues could save the lives of these dogs, so it’s well worth putting in the effort.

Once in a while I get calls about dogs who will not jump into vehicles on their own. I met with a client the other day who was having this very issue. The dog is a medium-to-large sized dog who would lift his front feet into the SUV but wait for someone to lift his backend up for him. She had tried to get the dog to jump into the back of the SUV on his own with no luck.

Romeo practices jumping up on a log

There can be a variety of reasons a dog won’t jump into a vehicle, such as:
* a physical problem prevents the dog from jumping that high
*the dog became accustomed to someone lifting him in and has never tried
*the dog lacks the confidence that he can do it on his own
*the space is too small for the dog to be able to jump into – think of trying jump up on a small ledge and not being able to use your hands to grab onto anything; this is how some dogs feel if jumping into a tight space
* the space looks too dark and enclosed, making the dog uncomfortable

In this case, it was a combination of reasons. First, I wanted to make the situation as open or spacious and light as possible so we laid down the back seats, opened the side doors, opened the garage door and turned on the garage lights. This alone is enough for some dogs, but not for this dog.

Next, I took him over to a stone retaining wall to see if he would jump on it. At first, he would jump on the lowest part of the wall, which was probably slightly lower than jumping into the SUV. After several of those jumps, I enticed him to jump onto the highest part of the wall which was at least several inches higher than the SUV. Not a problem for this dog, so he was clearly capable of jumping that high.

Next, we placed a plastic recycling bin upside down just in front of the SUV. I wanted to create an intermediate step. It took a bit of coaxing to get him to step on it, but I used his “shake” cue to get him to lift his foot and set it on the bin. Next, I got him to step up with both front feet. From there, I enticed him with treats to step all the way up into the SUV. We did that a few times until he was comfortable with it.

Next, I moved the bin away. Now that he was getting into the SUV on his own, I wanted to see if he was confident enough to do it without the additional step. He jumped right in! Then he jumped out and I got him to jump back in again. We repeated a few times with no problem. After covering a few other things during our session, we tried again to see if he had retained his newfound confidence. No problem, he jumped right in again. And again.  Success!!

Sometimes we simply need to find a way to change the picture for the dog and help him understand he already possesses the skills to do what you’re asking. Are you having any similar issues that you need to approach from a fresh perspective?

The New Year is typically a time for people to make New Year’s Resolutions to improve their lives. These resolutions might be to exercise more, eat a healthier diet, improve their relationships, find a new job or anything else they think will improve their lives or make them better people. One resolution for those with dogs might be to have a better trained dog or resolve a behavior issue that has been ongoing.

Rather than asking you to make any big resolutions you might not stick to, I am going to challenge you to do one thing. Teach your dog something new. Often times when training is not kept up as it perhaps should be, it is because we get bored with training. You can only practice so many sits, downs and stays before you get bored to tears. And most likely, so does your dog.

One thing that helps people stick to training is to keep things fresh and fun. Everyone will stay more interested if you add some variety into your training. Teach something practical or just a fun party trick to show off to friends and family. For example, “shake” might simply be a cute trick or a practical behavior for when you need to dry muddy feet, remove thorns, or trim nails. Fetch might be a fun way to play and burn off energy or a way to give your dog a job by retrieving the newspaper outside and bringing it in or finding your keys that you misplaced.

Riley trying out the weave poles during a Fun & Games Class

Dogs need mental exercise just as much as they need physical exercise, so learning new things is a way to help keep them active, learning and out of trouble. And it’s fun! If you need some ideas, look at my previous blog posts under the Category of Training Tips, look at upcoming classes, join us for a Fun & Games Class, or look up dog tricks online.

What new behavior are you going to teach your dog?

When most people train their dogs, they expect their dogs to respond to verbal cues, hand signals or both. However, there are times when an automatic or default behavior is better. What is an automatic or default behavior? This is a behavior the dog is expected to perform in certain situations without a verbal cue or hand signal. The dog automatically does it, or does it by default.

Romeo practicing his default sit for attention with his friends Finnigan and Jasmine

One example with my Vizsla Romeo is sitting and focusing on me before we head out for a walk. There are others, but the point here is that these are routine situations in which I expect him to know what to do without me telling him. And he does.

One of my clients lives in an assisted living facility with her very nice, mostly well-behaved dog. She walks pretty well but needs better leash manners so she does not knock over her owner – especially when it’s icy outside. She also needs to get more comfortable with men approaching her. Sometimes she does fine, other times she reacts defensively if she thinks they are coming for her. Her biggest issue, though, is with other dogs. She gets highly excited and out-of-control. There are a few other dogs living in the facility and also dogs who visit tenants. This dog needs to learn how to handle these situations or she faces being evicted from the facility.

Many of you have probably dealt with similar issues. However, in this case, the dog’s owner is not able to remember what cues to use or how to work with the dog. A previous trainer did a board-and-train with the dog and then tried to translate what she’d learned upon returning the dog to the facility. Unfortunately, the owner doesn’t remember any of this, and usually doesn’t remember what we worked on a few days earlier. Normally, my job is to teach owners how to most effectively work with their dogs. In this case, my job is to teach the dog to respond automatically in certain situations so that the owner doesn’t have to remember anything.

This dog is being taught to sit and focus whenever the person holding the leash stops. This dog is learning that whenever she pulls on leash, we stop moving forward until she loosens the leash and checks back in. This dog is learning good things happen when people approach so there is no need to fear anyone reaching out, especially men. This dog is learning to be calm when other dogs pass by.

I am working with the dog myself for now. The goal is to get her responding with her default behaviors so that she will perform all of these behaviors with her owner during the same circumstances without the need for any cues. It takes practice, but it will be worth it so that these two can continue to enjoy each others company.

I discuss default behaviors in more detail in my upcoming book, Juvenile Delinquent Dogs: The Complete Guide to Saving Your Sanity and Successfully Living With Your Adolescent Dog, scheduled to be published in February 2012.

I recently received an email from a client who had completed my Online Training Course. Training was going well except for one specific distraction: this dog loves to chase cars.  When this dog accidentally got out, he chased a car and was injured. That didn’t stop him from wanting to chase cars – even with casts still on!

One outlet for the desire to chase: a game of chase with other dogs

Here is the condensed version of my advice for this eight month old dog, which applies to dogs who want to chase cars, rabbits, people, bikers, other dogs, or anything else.

Play is fun for our dogs. It’s fun for us to watch our dogs having fun. But we often don’t consider all of the possible benefits of play for our dogs beyond just having fun. In my training, I point out that play is a great opportunity for our dogs to learn our rules. It’s a great opportunity for our dogs to learn how to interact appropriately with us as well as do what we ask even in states of higher arousal. Whether our dogs are playing with us or with other dogs, there are important lessons to learn during play.

Romeo's favorite game of chase with best buddy August

According to Marc Bekoff, an author and former Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, in his book, The Emotional Lives of Animals: A Leading Scientist Explores Animal Joy, Sorrow and Empathy – and Why They Matter:

“Why do animals carefully use play signals? Why do they engage in self-handicapping and role-reversing? It’s plausible to argue that during social play, immature individuals learn ground rules about what behavior patterns are acceptable to others – how hard they can bite, how roughly they can interact – and how to resolve conflicts in a situation that is safe, enjoyable, and nonthreatening. This is similar to the reasoning behind why human children are encouraged to play organized sports: it teaches them how to behave, how to cooperate and resolve conflicts in a setting where the stakes are not high. Through their behavior, animals show us that they place a premium on playing fairly and trusting others to do so. There are codes of social conduct that regulate actions that are and aren’t permissible. What could be a better atmosphere in which to learn about the social skills underlying fairness and cooperation than during social play, where there are few penalties for transgressions? It’s also possible that individuals might generalize codes of conduct learned while playing with specific individuals to other group members and to different situations, such as sharing food, defending resources, grooming and giving care.”

“Play is not only fun. It’s a useful behavior. And studies of play indicate that animals actively cultivate a sense of fairness and cooperation by playing.”

So next time you think play is just for fun, consider that your dog can be learning far more than just how to have a good time. As I tell my clients, ALL of the time is learning time for your dogs. So make sure your dog gets plenty of play time!

In last year’s December newsletter, I included training tips for setting your dogs up for success over the holidays when we often do not stick to our normal routines. This year, I am including a tip for a specific issue many people have at the holidays. How many stories have you heard about dog’s getting into the holiday meal when food is left on kitchen counters or the dining room table?

If you will be hosting a holiday meal, you will most likely be focused on cooking, visiting with family, and other things. Your dog might not get as much attention, which means he might not get enough exercise either. Add that to the tasty smells wafting from the kitchen, and you have the recipe for potential problems with your dog!

If food is being prepared or left out on kitchen counters, teach your dog to stay out of the kitchen during this time. While you can manage the situation by putting your dog in his crate, closing him in another room or leaving him outside, teaching an “out” cue can come in handy if you want your dog to be part of the festivities without causing trouble.

For my dogs, “out” means to get out of whichever room they are in. If they are in the kitchen, bathroom, or any other room, and I want them out of the way, I simply say “out” and they leave the room. If I am standing at the back door with the door open and say “out” it also means to get out of the room they are in by exiting the house.

You can use shaping, luring or herding (body blocking) to get your desired behavior started. I used herding or body blocking. With my dog in the room, I placed myself on the opposite side of my dog from the exit to the room. As I walked toward my dog, he began moving out of my way. If he tried to move around me, I simply moved myself to always keep him between me and the exit. As soon as I had successfully herded or blocked him out of the room, I rewarded by tossing a treat just outside the room.

Once the dog is out of the room, you step back inside the room and away from the doorway/entrance. If your dog tries to re-enter the room, you simply block him from doing so with your body. Reward again when he backs up. If you back away from the doorway, and he remains outside the room, toss another reward.

Once he gets the hang of staying out of the room, you can say “out” just before you herd or block him again. With some practice, he will begin to understand “out” without your needing to block him. This will take some practice, but can be very useful when you need your dog to remain out of a certain room at certain times.

The better I am able to understand dogs, the better trainer I will be and the better I will be able to help my clients understand and relate to their own dogs. One topic of interest for me is emotions in dogs and other animals. Since we can’t really know what anyone else (humans included!) is thinking or feeling, we can only speculate. But the more we learn, the more accurate we will be in making those speculations.

A while back, I had read Patricia McConnell‘s For the Love of a Dog: Understanding Emotion in You and Your Best Friend. Recently, I read two more books focusing on emotions in animals. One was Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson‘s When Elephants Weep: The Emotional Lives of Animals. The other was Marc Bekoff’s The Emotional Lives of Animals: A Leading Scientist Explores Animal Joy, Sorrow, and Empathy – and Why They Matter.

Romeo at 2 months - I wonder what he was thinking. . .

If you’ve never read any of these books, I recommend reading at least one of them when you have some spare time. Working with clients, I often hear emotions being assigned to dogs that might or might not be true. However, these are often used to blame the dog for conspiring to do something to the person. I think we do our dogs a disservice when we assume they are mad at us or being spiteful when they soil in the house, shred a valued object or other things that frustrate and upset the human side of the partnership. More often than not, it is highly unlikely that the dog is doing any of these things to be spiteful or express anger toward us. I believe it’s important to understand and acknowledge emotions in animals, but we create unnecessary conflict between us when we assign emotions that probably are not there.

The flip side is when people assign emotions to their dogs thinking something is far more upsetting to their dog than it really is. In these situations, it is often the person’s feelings themselves that they are projecting onto their dogs. For example, I sometimes will recommend no longer allowing the dog in bed if there are issues, such as not allowing a spouse into the bed once the dog is there. People assume the dog’s feelings will be hurt if the dog is not allowed in the bed any longer. In reality, most dogs adapt very easily to the new rules. It’s the people who have a hard time adjusting!

While I think it’s a good thing that we acknowledge our dogs’ emotions (rather than assuming they can’t “feel” anything as some people do),  I think we sometimes create additional problems by over analyzing and assigning emotions based on our own feelings that most likely are not what the dog is feeling.

Working with shelters and/or rescue groups has always been a part of my work in helping dogs. With our new business, The Light of Dog, we are focusing even more on helping to keep dogs in their homes and out of shelters/rescues. For those dogs in shelters/rescues, our goal is to help ensure their next home is their final home.

I recently conducted a behavior consultation with a Greyhound in the Colorado Greyhound Adoption (CGA) foster program. At 6 years old, she has been relinquished twice due to issues with the other household dogs. Since we don’t have the details of what happened in her adoptive homes, we have to make our best determination as to what is happening with her. The better we are able to identify the specific triggers for her, the easier it will be for us to address the issues.

Her current foster home has one resident Greyhound and another foster Greyhound, both females. Both previous homes had female dogs as well. According to the current foster family, growling and potential issues seem to occur most often at doorways and when other dogs get face-to-face with her.

She seems to be very playful at times, but her play can be a bit rough – more like a lab than a typical Greyhound! She is not a good candidate for dog parks, but she might do well in a home with a young playful male dog who has a similar play style but good social skills. One of her issues, I think, is her inability to adjust her play so a playmate with a similar play style would be a good option for her. Another option would be for her to live in a single-dog household with the option of either playing with human family members and/or play dates with a compatible dog.

Another of her issues is at doorways, which are often high arousal situations and a common location for dog-dog fights or altercations to occur. This issue is often easy to manage by teaching dogs to wait for permission to enter/exit doorways and never allow multiple dogs to charge through at the same time. This can eliminate the competitiveness and arousal at doorways.

The other issue is when dogs get in her face. From the dog’s perspective, charging head-on up to another dog is considered rude at best, a challenge or confrontation at worst. As with doorways, our goal here is to manage and control dog-dog interactions so that dogs are not allowed to charge up to her head-on. When meeting new dogs, the best option for her is to take a brief walk with the other dog so she can become acclimated gradually and in a non-confrontational way.

Once we started working with her, we realized that someone had taught her a few things already: sit, down and possibly wait. The most important thing for her to learn was a wait for permission to go through doorways, eat her meals, or other things that might cause excitement or high arousal around other dogs.

The foster family will work with her on these things and CGA will work to find the right match for her in a new home. I think her chances of success at her next home are very good if her new family remembers to ask her to use some self control and they are careful to manage situations that might be stressful for her.

The December issues of Prevention Magazine has an article by Lisa Hoehn called The Best Chew Toys to Choose. Did you know there is no governmental oversight for the manufacturing of dogs’ chew toys?

Romeo with one of his safe Kong toys

According to the article, many toys are made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) that include the chemicals called phthalates. Chewing products with this chemical can increase your dog’s risk of liver, kidney and reproductive issues. Look for toys that are “phthalate free”  and also use nontoxic or no dyes.

Many people give their dogs rawhides to chew, but these are not without risk either. These are often processed with chemicals that might not be safe for your dog either. I have cautioned people about this for years. If your dog has diarrhea frequently, and you are looking at food as the culprit, you might want to look at what your dog is chewing instead.

Some dogs can chew anything and never seem to have an issue. Some have very sensitive systems. Err on the side of caution and provide your dog with chew toys and items that are as safe as possible.

If your dog has ever been involved in a fight with another dog, you know what a scary and stressful situation it can be. Professionals often recommend not trying to break up a fight simply to avoid people being injured. For most of us, that’s hard to do if we fear for the safety of our dog.

Romeo with his buddy Moose - just playing!

People are often bitten when trying to break up a dog fight, not because the dog intended to bite the person but because the dog lashes out defensively at anything. Bites often occur when someone tries to grab a dog’s collar. While I understand the desire to break up a fight, if you do decide to intervene, you are always putting yourself at risk. However, there are ways to minimize your risk.

A client recently asked how to best break up fights between household dogs. Two of their three dogs get into fights on occasion. Neither has been seriously injured, but when my client ended up with a painful bite to her own hand when reaching in to grab collars, she decided it was time to ask my advice on a better way to break things up.

The very same day I sent her a list of possible ways to more safely break up a fight, I received a reply that she had the opportunity to put it to the test. Here’s the email:

Rather than grabbing collars, one of the methods I suggested was to grab a body part away from mouths (tails or torsos) and pulling dogs off balance and then away from each other once they release their grips on each other. I have used this method myself and it has worked well for me.

Other options, depending on what you have available, is dousing dogs with water (bucket or hose), shoving an object (board, chair, etc.) in between if there’s enough space between dogs to do so, or throwing heavy blankets over the dogs so they hopefully stop momentarily and you can pull them apart. There is no one method that will work in every situation, so the more options you have thought about in advance, the easier it will be to remain calm and break up the fight as quickly as you can without getting yourself hurt in the process.

Hopefully, you will never have the need to try any of these methods. Preventing your dog from getting into a fight is always the best choice!

The November issue of Prevention magazine has an article by Karen Asp called The Diabetes Danger. According to the article, diabetes in dogs has increased 32% in the past 5 years. Symptoms generally show up when dogs are 7 years or older and tend to show up in genetically predisposed breeds, such as Beagles, Dachshunds, Poodles, Pugs and Samoyeds.

Symptoms include: excessive thirst and frequent urination, sudden weight loss or ravenous appetite, strange-smelling mouth, and major behavioral changes such as irritability, hiding, or sleeping a lot.

A simple blood and urine test can be conducted by your vet to diagnose diabetes in your dog. If your dog is diagnosed, some lifestyle changes will be in order:

1. Insulin injections every 12 hours.

2. Increased lean muscle (obtained through more exercise) to improve the dog’s response to insulin therapy.

3. A moderate-protein, high-fiber diet.

Although some health issues are unavoidable, the more we can do to keep our dogs at healthy weights and in good shape, the more we stack the odds in our favor of preventing or minimizing health problems.

Does your dog have issues with other dogs? Our society seems to assume that all dogs should love all other dogs. Those of us who live with dogs know that is not always the case.

This German Shepherd is reacting to another dog - not a good way to say hello!

At the John Rogerson seminar I attended recently, he had some interesting ideas about the causes or contributors to issues such as dog-dog aggression. John believes these issues are in part due to the increasing number of purebred dogs in homes that are not appropriate for their current lifestyle. Dogs that were bred for high energy, high drive jobs, like guard/hunting/herding dogs, do not always make great household pets. This is especially true if the dog is expected to sleep at home all day while the family is at work and school. These dogs sometimes get a daily walk or short play periods, but sometimes daily exercise is minimal at best. A short walk is simply not enough for many of these breeds. I agree with and understand his point.

Another factor he points toward contributing toward aggression toward other dogs is the increasing use of dog day cares and dog parks. For certain dogs these can be great options, but I agree that they can also cause or exacerbate already existing issues in other cases. Part of this depends on how well-supervised dogs are at day cares and dog parks. Issues can be created if dogs are left loose to do as they please with other dogs and are never asked to check in or respond to anyone until it’s time to leave. This is something I often discuss with clients. PROPERLY used, these can be great options, but far too often they are not used properly.

John believes another factor in dog-dog aggression is multiple dogs households. While I don’t necessarily agree with everything he says, he makes some good points. As with dog day cares and dog parks, again, I think it comes down to the types of interactions happening, how well the dogs are supervised, and the specific dogs in each case. Part of the problem arises when the resident dog becomes the primary attachment for the new dog. If your dogs spend 24/7 together and you spend a few hours a day with your new dog, it’s easy to see who the largest influence will be. I agree that people need to consciously spend a greater amount of one-on-one time with their dogs. You should be the greatest influence on your new dog, not your other dog(s).

This post would get far too long if I went into further discussion of this, but there is much to consider here. Have you seen problems with your dog or other dogs that were created or worsened by dog day care, dog parks, or other dogs in the same household?

I’ve heard it many times. And I heard it again at one of my classes recently:

“My dog only comes when she wants to. How do I get her to come EVERY time?”

While this particular client was referring to coming when called, I’ve heard the same comment for just about anything: coming, sitting, staying. . . The dog only responds when there is a treat available, only in certain locations, or only when the temperature  is above 50 but not over 75 degrees. Ok, maybe not that last one, but you get the idea!

The way the comment is phrased, it places the blame on the dog. She “knows” this but she chooses to do it only when she feels like it. How do we resolve this issue?

Romeo coming while off leash on a mountain hike

The first step in resolving this issue is looking at it honestly. I could say the same about Romeo when he has chased after a fleeing rabbit and did not respond to me. But is it fair to put the blame on him? I don’t think so. This is not the dog’s issue, this is the trainer’s issue. If my dog is only responding some of the time, then I need to look at what I have missed in my training. It’s my fault that he’s not responding reliably. I have more work to do.

It’s always easier to blame the other party, but in this case, we need to turn the mirror on ourselves. The first step is making sure my dog truly understands what I am asking. Don’t be too quick to jump to the conclusion that your dog does understand. . . in this context. I’ve said it before and I will say it again. Dogs tend to be very contextual. Ask yourself if you have practiced to fluency in this context. Not yet? Then you have more training to do!

Once you are certain your dog understands what you want, you can’t forget the second part of the equation. Understanding is needed, but so is motivation! What is in it for your dog? Take Romeo for example. Let’s say he truly understands what come means when he’s in the field and off leash. Why should he come to me instead of chase the bunny? I have to admit, chasing the bunny is one of the most valuable things in the world for him. What do I offer him? I need to make sure that I have provided enough value with my training that he chooses to forego the alternative choice in favor of me. How to do that is a whole other discussion!

Does he understand what you want? Are you providing enough value for your dog to do it? These are not always easy, but they are necessary. If your dog is not responding in the way you want, don’t blame your dog. Your training is not yet complete. If you need help, give me a call!

This is another issue that I address specifically in my upcoming book Juvenile Delinquent Dogs: The Complete Guide to Saving Your Sanity and Successfully Living With Your Adolescent Dog.

Separation anxiety, or a lesser form now often referred to as separation distress, can be a frustrating issue to deal with, especially if your dog is destructive when separated. However, many people think their dogs have separation anxiety when they really do not. If your dog does suffer from separation anxiety, it can take time to overcome. Patience and baby steps are they keys to successfully resolving the issue.

At the recent seminar I attended by dog trainer John Rogerson, he discussed his approach to treating separation anxiety. I liked some of his ideas and will definitely be incorporating them into the program I already use, which is described in my upcoming book, Juvenile Delinquent Dogs: The Complete Guide to Saving Your Sanity and Successfully Living With Your Adolescent Dog.

John’s approach mimics what he believes is a mother dog’s approach to helping her puppies adjust to her separation from them. He breaks it down into three stages: (1) mental separation, (2) physical separation, and finally, (3) visual separation.

John begins by having his clients “mentally separate” from their dogs. This might be done by sitting at a table and completing a jigsaw puzzle while the dog is in the same room. By focusing on something specific, clients mentally disconnect from their dogs. Once dogs learn to relax when no one is paying attention to them, they move on to step two.

Physical separation consists of being in the same room, but preventing the dog from being in physical contact. Mental separation is also included in this stage. A dog might be tethered to a table nearby or in a crate. Somehow, the dog is physically prevented from coming into contact with the person.

Once the dog is comfortable with the mental and physical separation, they move on to stage three, visual separation. The dog might still be in the same room with a screen set up between dog and person, or the person might be in the very next room. In this stage, the dog is both mentally and physically separated as well but now is not able to see the person. However, at this stage, it is still important for the dog to be able to hear the person. The person might be talking on the phone, reading aloud, or doing other things so that the dog cannot see but can hear and smell the person nearby.

While there are some other things that need to be done as well, these steps make sense in the process of breaking things down into smaller steps. Anyone who has worked with me on an issue they have been having trouble with is used to me saying: “How can we break this down into smaller steps?”

Thanks to John, I have more ideas for helping people break down the issue of separation anxiety into smaller steps.

One of the issues many of us deal with is dogs who jump on us and others. We love that our dogs are so enthusiastic to greet us when we arrive home. Who else in your life is so thrilled to see you – even if you’ve only been gone for ten minutes?! That’s one of the things we love about our dogs. However, if your dog is jumping all over you, it’s not always so enjoyable.

Jumping has been a big issue with Romeo

As anyone who has trained with me knows, I will tell you NOT to give your dog any attention for the jumping. Even scolding your dog, pushing him away, or other things we think of as “negative” are usually looked at by our dogs as some form of attention. And they will take whatever attention they can get. Ideally, we want to prevent the jumping and replace it with an alternative behavior, such as sitting. But sometimes, it’s really difficult to prevent any jumping.

The other week I was at a seminar by John Rogerson. I’m pretty sure most of you have never heard of him, but as a dog trainer, I have been hearing about him for quite some time. Until now, I never had the chance to hear him speak. Since he lives in the UK and travels around the world, he’s not often anywhere near here. Although he also does not believe in the use of harsh punishments, choke chains, prong collars or shock collars, he does do some things very differently from most of the trainers I have learned from.

At one point, he talked about dogs jumping on people when they arrive home. He suggests something I thought was a great idea. Here it is: When you arrive home, ignore your dog and walk straight to the nearest window. Stand still and spend two minutes describing everything you see outside the window. After your two minutes are up, look around to see where your dog is and what s/he is doing. If s/he is calm, go ahead and say hello calmly.

While his idea of ignoring your jumping dog is similar to mine, I love the idea of giving you something to do that helps you to completely ignore your dog. Even though I tell people not to give their dogs any attention, I know many still do – even if they are trying not to do so. But by describing what you see out the window, it gives you something to focus on so you’re really not paying any attention to your dog.

If your dog is a jumper, try this out for a week and let me know how it goes!

The other week, I spent four full days at a seminar with dog trainer John Rogerson. John lives in the UK and travels all over the world, so he’s not often in the U.S. He has been spending a lot of time in Thailand and India where dog ownership and dog training are fairly new and not nearly as mainstream as it is in Europe and the U.S.

The seminar was a packed four days. John does not believe in taking breaks, so while most seminars take a long morning and afternoon break in addition to at least an hour lunch break, John starts by 9 am (sometimes earlier) and goes until 5 pm with only a 30 minute lunch break. While I appreciate packing the day as full as he can, it is difficult to stay focused for so long with no breaks. Which reminds me, how often do you take breaks when training with your dog for a long session? It helps your dog, and it will help you. Short breaks are good!

John does not believe in the use of harsh punishments, forceful training, or the use of choke chains, prong collars or shock collars. But he also comes with some very different outside-the-box kind of ideas. I might not agree with all of his ideas, but he certainly gave me some things to think about and some great new ideas to build into what I am already doing.

Even if I didn’t have to keep up continuing education credits for my certifications as a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant and a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, I would still attend educational seminars and conferences. I love to learn new things, get new ideas, be inspired, and keep myself up-to-date on the latest info in dog training and behavior. I love being in a profession that keeps me enthusiastic and wanting to learn more!

I will be sharing a few of John’s ideas in my blog posts. I would love to hear your feedback on some of the ideas I share. John’s latest book is The Dog Vinci Code – Unlock the Secrets to Training Your Dog. I have not had a chance to read it yet, but when I do, I will give you my thoughts on it. If you have read it or do read it, I would be curious to hear what you think.

If you have read about puppy development stages online or in books, you most likely have heard of a fear period that puppies can experience between 8 and 11 weeks of age. Some puppies will experience it. Others don’t seem to. However, it occurs often enough that it is a well-accepted stage of development.

Frightened by another dog

What is less well-documented or understood, is the possibility of a second fear period for dogs some time during adolescence. Since there is a much wider time frame during which this could occur, it’s much more difficult to pin down and define. Some believe it coincides with a growth spurt during adolescence.

I have spoken about it with several of my clients. In one case, the clients had taken their puppy through my Puppy Preschool Class and everything went well. A few months later, they called me. Their now-adolescent dog, who had been friendly with everyone, was suddenly afraid of unfamiliar people. What could they do?

First, we discussed whether it was possible the dog had a traumatic experience recently with a stranger. This was one possible explanation. Even if it were something we would not consider traumatic, it could have been to the dog. They assured me that nothing scary had happened recently with a stranger.

Since the age seemed to fit, I suggested that most likely the dog was experiencing a second fear period. Things that were once no cause for concern – in this case, unfamiliar people – suddenly were frightening for the dog. For other dogs, this could manifest in a fear of other dogs, objects (such as trash cans on the sidewalk on trash collection day), or other things. The dog might have been somewhat cautious, completely oblivious, or even friendly toward the object of concern before, but suddenly the dog is now very cautious or even frightened of it.

For this particular family, I suggested they sign up for my next Juvenile Delinquents Class where we could work on building more confidence and learn that the strangers (others in class) were nothing to be afraid of. We could also have done a few private training sessions as well, but the group class worked well for this dog and over a period of a few weeks, the dog was doing much better.

If your adolescent dog is going through a fear period, don’t dismiss the fear. Don’t scold or punish your dog. Don’t force your dog to “get over it” by flooding him/her with whatever is causing concern. Instead, be patient and help your dog to build confidence and overcome his/her concerns at whatever pace is comfortable. If you need help with specifically how to do that, don’t hesitate to give me a call!

I received a phone call from a client I had not heard from in a year or two. They had taken a Puppy Preschool Class with me and had since added another dog to the family. They had been having some trouble over the past six months. One family member was ready to relinquish their dogs. The other called me for help in an effort to resolve the issue and maintain harmony in the home.

I was told the newer of the two dogs was urinating in the house – as often as a few times per day. They were rarely, if ever, able to catch the dog in the act, so they were having a difficult time resolving the issue.

Sometimes what seems to be a behavior issue really is not. The first order of business was to send them to their veterinarian. You would be surprised how often what seems to be a behavior issue really is a medical issue. Sure enough, the newer dog had a urinary tract infection (UTI). I advised the client to resolve the medical issue first and then see if they were still having trouble.

I received another call a couple of weeks later. The UTI was resolved, but the urinating in the house was not. Since it had been going on for so long, what started as a medical issue had also become a behavior issue. While we were not able to set up a video camera to catch the culprit in the act, I believe what was happening was the newer dog started urinating due to his UTI which developed into a habit. In addition, the other dog was marking over the spots where the dog with the UTI would urinate.

Within a few weeks of following my advice, the client called to report there had been no more urinating in the house. The issue – while still needing some close supervision – was now under control. There was no longer any discussion of re-homing the dogs. The clients were happy.

This is just one of many cases where people contact me to address what they believe to be a behavior issue but there is a medical component to the problem. This is why most of my referrals for business come from veterinarians. I like to know that possible medical causes have been ruled out in cases such as this before we begin behavior modification work.

If your dog has a sudden change in behavior that you cannot attribute to a specific incident, the first order of business is a medical check with your veterinarian. While there are plenty of behavior and training issues that have no medical component, there are plenty that do. That is why I like to work in collaboration with veterinarians. We both want your dog to be healthy – both medically and behaviorally. By all of us working together, we can help you achieve that.

Halloween is just around the corner. I used to love dressing up and going trick-or-treating when I was a kid. While it is a fun holiday for many of us, it can be less so for our dogs. Here are some tips to ensure a fun and safe Halloween for your dog:

• Chocolate and other candies are in abundance in many households at this time of year. Chocolate and xylitol (a sweetener found in some gums, mints, candies and toothpastes) are both toxic for dogs though, so make sure chocolate and all of your other sweets are safely out of reach of your dog. The last thing you need is a trip to the emergency vet.
  

  Romeo posing in the Halloween store

• Front doors are opened far more often than usual in most households on Halloween with all of the trick-or-treaters stopping by. If your dog has been known to dart out the open door, make sure s/he is safely secured away from the front door so there is no chance for escape.
• Some dogs are afraid of kids. Others love kids. But kids dressed in scary costumes can provoke some unpredictable reactions in some cases. Dogs might be frightened or overly excited at the constant stream of kids in costume. If your dog is anything other than calm and relaxed in scenarios like this, it’s best to keep her/him safely secured elsewhere in your house.
• Many people walk their dogs in the evenings after work. However, if seeing kids in costumes all over the neighborhood will be too much for your dog to handle, make sure you either walk your dog before the trick-or-treaters make their appearance or find another way to exercise your dog that evening. A fearful dog might escape and run off or feel trapped and bite someone. Keep everyone safe by preventing a fearful dog from having to make that choice. Overly excited dogs can also hurt someone. They might not intend to, but if they jump on children, kids can easily get hurt and become frightened by your dog.
• Once safety precautions are in place, you can use this holiday to help your dog get exposure to some new and interesting things s/he might not have seen before. Taking your dog out safely and exposing her/him in a positive, non-threatening way to people dressed in costume can be good for your dog. We were at a Halloween store last week with an employee in a monkey suit. Romeo was frightened by him and started barking. We moved on, calmed him down and then returned. He was still cautious, but he was able to get close enough to smell the guy. By giving him a chance to work through his fear at his own pace, we helped him to understand that just because something is “different” it’s not necessarily bad. I think we’ll visit that store again soon.

The push to “go green” is everywhere these days. Choosing options that are better for our environment and for us are also better for our dogs. We are always trying to choose better options in our daily lives, but sometimes those choices are considerably more expensive than the less “green” options. This can make “green” options a tougher choice for most of us.

Are our flooring choices safe for our dogs?

In the September/October 2011 issue of The Bark magazine, the Bark Editors article “Green Up” gives ideas to provide greener options for our dogs. According to the article, one product to avoid is vinyl floors:

“Even though it’s a popular flooring choice, PVC continues to be the subject of considerable controversy. Its production releases an extraordinarily toxic chemical – dioxin – and many, including the Healthy Building Network, consider PVC to be one of the ‘most environmentally hazardous consumer materials produced’.”

I don’t know much about it, but if the production of it releases this chemical, I have to wonder if having vinyl floors in our homes continues to expose our dogs to these chemicals. We try to avoid harmful chemicals in our cleaning products and other choices, but with our dogs spending so much time on the floors, I have to wonder what else we are exposing our dogs to that we are not as aware of.

I, for one, will be paying more attention to what my dogs are walking and sleeping on. Seems like one more good reason for my dogs to snuggle on the couch with me!

Do you ever wonder why humans have such strong connections with other species, especially dogs? As a society, we tend to think there is something wrong with the “crazy cat lady” or “crazy dog person” who seems to prefer the companionship of other species over their own. But is it so crazy?

Snuggling with Romeo at 3.5 months

Meg Daley Olmert explores our connection with animals in her book Made for Each Other. Olmert explores the neurochemical basis for our strong connection to other species, more specifically the effects of the hormone oxytocin. Oxytocin is most commonly known as the hormone produced between mother and child during childbirth, but it is produced in many other relationships including those between humans and animals. Olmert asserts that our well-being as a species depends upon the oxytocin produced in our relationship with animals.

Olmert asserts that our disconnect from animals in society today has caused us to be oxytocin-deprived which has led to significant problems such as the significant rise in depression. She points to a study that showed those suffering from major depression has significantly lower levels of oxytocin in their systems.

Various studies have shown that living with a pet raises our oxytocin levels and reduces our heart rates and stress. Studies of coronary heart disease patients showed that the second most significant factor in survival of these patients was living with a pet. The only factor more significant was the severity of heart disease. Pets factored more heavily than spouses, family or close friends. That’s pretty amazing!

Studies have shown that not only is our oxytocin increased when we pet our companion animals, but their oxytocin levels are raised as well. Studies on rats showed that if a rat were stroked 45 times per minute for two minutes, the rat’s oxytocin level rose, while the stress rate, heart rate and blood pressure all decreased. In addition, the rat was more sedate and had a higher pain threshold. This was not true of rats just being held but not stroked. When stroked for five minutes, the effects were even more profound and longer lasting.

If that’s not enough to convince you that living with dogs or other companion animals is good for you, consider this: studies have shown that people with pets are perceived as friendlier, happier, more positive, more relaxed and less threatening.

There’s a reason I love spending so much time with my dogs. Now I have proof that it’s not just enjoyable – it’s essential for my health!

If I had a dollar for every time people tell me their dogs are being dominant, my bank account would look a lot better than it does right now. If I then lost a dollar for every time that statement turned out not to be true, my bank account would look exactly like it does now.  The term “dominance” has been so over used, that it really has lost it’s meaning. Unfortunately, a popular television show and those who promote it’s incorrect ideas about dominance have misled many people with dogs into thinking their dogs are trying to dominate them when it simply is not true.

In John Bradshaw’s Dog Sense, he discusses the true meaning of dominance as biologists who study animals use it. Dominance describes a relationship between two individuals at a specific moment in time with no assumptions about what has happened in the past or what will happen in the future. It is not a personality trait or a prediction of how an individual will behave or relate to others in the future. It simply identifies which individual has priority access to a valued resource at a moment in time.

Is a dog trying to be dominant by walking out in front? No!

Dominance, then, really has no value in describing our dog’s behavior or what a specific action might mean for the future of your relationship with your dog. Let’s describe the actual behavior that is occurring and how to change problematic behaviors. What is your dog doing that you don’t like, and let’s determine what you would like your dog to do in place of the unwanted behavior.

The September/October 2011 issue of Bark magazine has two articles that also address the “dominance” issue. Victoria Stilwell, star of Animal Planet‘s television show It’s Me or the Dog, writes on page 28 about a puppy who is thought to be dominant but is, in fact, just being a pushy puppy.

In the same Bark issue, Patricia McConnell, PhD, writes on pages 43-46 about “Action/Re-Action: The temptations of the dominance fallacy.” She discusses some of the misconceptions about dominance and why it is such an alluring topic for people.

All three are worth reading if you get the chance.

I just finished reading Meg Daley Olmert’s book Made for Each Other. (I got a copy from the local library, but when I look up the title on Amazon.com, the cover is different. It has a Vizsla on it – go Vizslas! But I digress.) I also just finished reading the September issue of The Whole Dog Journal with an article by CJ Puotinen titled “More Than a Friend.”

What do these two things have in common? Olmert’s book has a section discussing autism and the article mentioned above also discusses autism. While discussing autism in children, the subject of dogs is bound to come up. In the Whole Dog Journal article, Puotinen discusses how dogs are utilized as both service dogs and therapy dogs for children with autism. According to the article, one of the most widely reported benefits of canine-child interaction is reduced anxiety. The study cited in the article discusses the findings of reduced cortisol in the children with service dogs.

In Olmert’s book, she states that researchers suspect a defect in the oxytocin gene or the gene that regulates the oxytocin receptors as part of the cause of autism. An oxytocin deficiency has been linked to some of the physical behaviors and social isolation associated with autism. Olmert believes that part of the reason for the huge increase in autism today – double that of just ten years ago and ten times that of a generation ago – is our increasing distance from animals and nature. Animals have been shows to significantly increase our oxytocin levels – the hormone most well-known for creating bonds between  mothers and their babies. Autism, along with other increasing issues in our society, Olmert believes are partially caused by our lack of connection with animals that we once had as primarily hunter/gatherers or farmers.

This all indirectly also relates to my prior career where I was the Controller for Denver Options, a nonprofit organization serving the developmentally disabled in Denver. One of many developmental disabilities they work with is people with autism. Kudos to all those – dogs and humans – who work to help make the lives of those with developmental disabilities better!